Pneumatic positional remote control



A118- 16, 1938. n T. w. KENYoN 2,126,892

PNEUMAT IC POS IT I ONAL REMOTE CONTRDL Filed Dec. 1e, 193e 2 sheets-sheet 1 i'r INVENTOR THEoUofPE h/.E/VYOA/ l Y H16 ATroRNEY.

Aus 16, 1938. l T. w. KENYON 2,126,892

PNEUMATIC POSITIONAL REMOTE CONTROL Filedl Decl 16. 193e 2 sheets-sheet 2 y 51' 4" aan? /oo mimi INVENTOR MBEQDORE N /vYo/v /g AZJR Y.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938y PATENT OFFICE 2,126,892 rN'EUm'rIc rosrrloNAL REMOTE CONT BOL

lTheodore W. Kenyon, Huntington, N. Y., assignor to Sperry Gyrcone Company,

Inc., Brooklyn,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 16,1936, Serial No. V116,239

12 Claims.

'This invention relates t'o reproduction of 4the position of a sending instrument-such as a sensitive indicator, at a remote point, and especially to types which are self-synchronous, that is, in

which the receiver will always return to the c orbreakdown in electrical circuits. My invention is especially adapted for aircraft. Further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings, showing several forms my invention may assume,

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the sending portion of my invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic yview showing one form of my complete system. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of another form my invention may assume.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the receiving instrument of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar section of the sending instrument of Fig. 3.

bine wheel used in this form of the invention.

My system is adapted for use with a sensitive indicator, such as a magnetic compass or directional gyroscope, and to indicate this fact, a compass card is shown at I on the sending instru'- ment 2. It will be understood, however, that the sending instrument may be merely a manually driven indicator, if desired, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, `having one or more controllers turned therewith oi preferably the frictionless air pickoif type. Directly'on-the shaft 3 of the card I, so as to rotate at equal speed therewith, I mount one or, preferably, two shutter devices or cut-oil.' plates 4 and 5 which are shown as rotated in the same plane, the shutter 5 being shown inthe form of a ring having a circular opening l within which the shutter 4 loosely fits. The ring 3 is shown as secured to the shaft 3 by means of a bracket l'having a central hole l' for shaft 3. Immediately under the shutters 4 andi I position a xed plate 3, which mayv form the top of a hollow base portion 8. "I'he plate 3 is shown as provided with a plurality of radial slots I3 around or adjacent its periphery, and also a radial slot II situated nearer the center. The base member Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the little air tur-v 9 is shown as having an outer rim' -I2,.on or in whichthe coverplate 3 rests, and an inner'rim I3, both of which are secured to the base I4. The top or cover plate 8 ilts against the top of the rings I2 and I.3 s o that the base member 9 5 is separated into two compartments, an inner circular compartment I3 and an outer annular compartment I5, the slot II furnishing an opening to the former and the slots I Il tothe latter. T he shutter 4 preferably has the greater por- 10 tion of its periphery I1 of spiral shape, the spiral terminating, however, in a radial edge I8 which lies in one position parallelto the radial slot Il. The ring 5, on the other hand, has the major portion ofits' periphery circular, but has a.V l5 shaped notch I9 formed therein. Said notch at its periphery is preferably as broad as the space between two' adjacent slots I0 in the disc 8, and one side is radial and the other side slanting or spiral shaped. The annular compartment I5 is 20 shown as connected to a pipe 2| and the central circular compartment I3 is shown as connected to a pipe` 23, through both of which air is'preferably continuously withdrawn.

At the receiving instrument, which is shown as 25 -having a similar card I'. I piace a device which may be quite similar to the device at the sending end. Said device likewise has the shutters 4' and i', the disc .3' and the two-compartment base member 3', said compartments being like- 30 'wise connected to exhaust pipes 2l'V and 2|'. In this case,.however, the shaft 3', to which the indicatorcard' I' and shutters 4' and 5' are connected, 4is driven as by'means of a gear 22 secured to shaft 3' and the card I said` gear being 35 rotatedv through suitable reduction gearing 23, including pinion 23'?, from a small air motor or turbine 24.- Said turbine'is shown as driven in either direction from air iets emerging from one or both lnozzles 2l and, forming the ends of 4,0 pipes 2l' and 23', hinged at 40 and 4I, respectively, and limlted'uin their movement by stops 42 and 42. Asshownythe direction of rotation'v .of the turbine 24 is governed by the position of) the two nozzles, the air .therefrom being directed 45 through the pairs of chutes 21 and 21 or. and 23', each iet dividing equally or unequally, depending on whether the nozzle is central or is moved' away from vits central position. Both nozzles are supplied with air Aunder pressure as 50 from apump (notshown).

'Ihe position of nozzle 23 is controlled by the relative positions of the tw'o shutters 4 and 4 on the 'sending and -receiving instruments.' This lmay be effected by means of a pair of metallic bellows or other pressure responsive devices 29 and 28', one of which is connected to pipe 20 and the other to pipe both pipes being connected through suitable restrictions and 33 to a common exhaust pump through pipe 36. Pref.- erably one of said restrictions is of adjustable size, being shown as provided by a valve 33, so as 'to balance the system and compensate for the difference in the length of the pipes. Both bellows are pivotally connected in opposition to hinged pipe 26' so as to rotate the same. It will readily be seen, therefore, that as long as the pressure within the containers 20, 20' is equal, nozzle 26 will be centralized and air issuing therefrom will not tend to drive the turbine 24 in either direction, but that a slight preponderance of pressure in one container over that in the other will move they nozzle to rotate the disc in the proper direction to restore the balance between the two elastic containers. In other words, equilibrium can only be reached when the slots and I l in the two discs 8 and 8' are covered or uncovered the same amount in the sending and receiving instruments.v Such condition is satised only when the shutters 4 and 4 assume the same angular position with respect to their respective ports.

While the one nozzle and pair of control shutters 4 and 4' would give fairly accurate results, greater accuracy may be secured by employing ilne controllers also, such as the supplemental shutters 5 and 5' in connection with supplemental chambers. The pipes 2| and 2|' therefrom are likewise connected to gexible containers or bellows 32 and 32,' to control the position of the noz- 21e/.25 and are also connected to a common exhaust pump through restrictions 33 and-30 and pipe 36'. Therefore the joint action of shutters 5 and 5' will move the nozzle 25 until one of slots i0 indisc 8 is covered the same amount as'the similar slot I0 in the disc 8'. Since the slope of the edges 34 of the notches I0 and I0' may be made much greater than the slope of the spiraP more accurate positioning may be secured.

However, it is essential that the nozzle 26 should be the preponderating influence on the turbine 24 in order that the two devices do not work in opposition and true self-synchronism be obtained. This may be accomplished either by making the jet 26 much stronger, as suggested in Fig. 3, or by positioning a shut-olf valve 35 in the supply pipe 38 leading to the nozzle 25. This valve is arranged to shut of! the supply to the nozzle 25 whenever the pivoted jet` pipe25 is moved away from its centralized position, which is shown as accomplished by connecting the pipe 26' to bell crank lever 38 which, in turn, moves the slide valve 39 across the ports 45 in valve 35 so as to close Athe same except when the nozzle 26 is virtually inoperative, i. e., when it is centralized.

Figs. 3, 5 and 6 show several variations that my invention may take. As previously indicated, the sending instrument in this form is shown as driven by a hand crank 46 instead of being connected to a sensitive indicator, the indicating card being at |00. The crank 46 is shown as driving a central shai't |03 through bevel gearing 48.

It is also obvious that it is immaterial whether the shutters be rotated or the slotted plate. In these figures I have indicated the slotted plate |08 is rotated, thesame being secured to the shaft |03 by a set screw 50 in the hub thereof,

The shutters |04 and |05 in this case are xed to the top of the base rim |09 so as to be held stationary. 4

In this case, also, I have simplified the pneumatic mechanism so that only an exhaust pump need be used. In this case the pipes |20 and |20' and |2| and |2I from the sending and receiving4 instruments lead directly to pairs of oppositely directed nozzles 54, 54 and 55, 55', respectively, said nozzles being enclosed in an air-tight casing 56 from which air is continuously withdrawn by an exhaust pump (not shown). The jets from the nozzles 54 and 55 engage blades 51 on a double-bladed rotor 58, while the jets from the nozzles, 54 and 55' engage oppositely directed blades 51 on said rotor.

Considering ilrst the Anozzles 54 and 54', it will be obvious that as long as the shutter plates4 |04 and |04 on the sending and receiving instruments have the same relative position with respect to the slot in the disc |08, vthe jets will be equal and no rotation of the turbine will resuit. In case, however, of relative turning of the sending with respect tothe receiving instrument, this balance will be destroyed and the turbine rotated in the proper direction torestore synchronism. For this purpose a worm drive is 62, which carries at its other end a worm 63.

meshing with a large gear 64 secured to the shaft |03 of the receiving instrument. Similarly, the jets from nozzles 55 an 55 are controlled from the relative positions of t e fine or outer shutter plates |05 and |05' and the slotted discs |08 and |08 of the sending and receiving instruments. In this case, however, instead of employing a shut-off valve operated :from the self-synchronous shutters 4, 4', as in Fig. y2, I merely make thev nozzlesv 54 and 54 larger than 55 and 55' so that the former will be in control until the receiver is very close to synchronism with the sending instrument, at which time the rate of ow through the nozzles 54- and 54 will be substantially equalized, so that the nozzles 55 and 55 will assume control until exact synchronism is reached.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is. 'intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim Vand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:v

responsive to variations in the relative pressure drop in said pipes for actuating said motor to restore synchronism.

2. A pneumatically operated self-synchronous the rotatable member of said receiver, and means repeating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein L said last mentioned means includes a pair of opposed nozzles, one of each of said pipes, a common impulse wheel for said pipes, an enclosure for the nozzles and the wheel, and means for exhausting the air from said enclosure.

3. A pneumatically operated self-synchronous repeating system as claimed in claim l, wherein said last mentioned means includes a pair of opposed iiexiblecontainers each connected with a respective one of said pipes and throttled means for withdrawing air from both pipes, the relative pressure in said containers governing the motor driving means.

4. In a pneumatically operated self-synchronous repeater system, a plurality of chambers, means for creating air pressure in each diiIerent from atmospheric pressure, a ported cover member for said chambers through the port or ports of each of which air passes, there being a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports over one chamber and a single port over the other, a shutter having a 360 spiral edgelfor said single port, a second shutter having a notch therein adapted to uncover only one of said spaced ports at a time, and a means for relatively turning said member with respect to both chambers.

5. In a pneumatically operated self-synchronous repeater system, a sending instrument including a plurality of concentric chambers, a ported cover member for said chambers through the port or ports o! each of which air passes, there being a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports over one chamber and a vsingle port over the other, a shutter having a 360 spiral edge for concentric rotation over said single port, a concentric, rotatable second shutter having a notch therein adapted to uncover only one of said spaced ports at a time, and a receiver including similarly arranged chambers, ported member and shutters, a motor for turning the shutters of said receiver relative to its member, a common means for withdrawing air from the chambers of both thev sending and receiving in-`l struments including separate pipes to each, and

means responsive to variations in the relative pressure drop. in corresponding chambers for actuating said motor.

6. A pneumatically operated self-synchronous repeating system as claimed in claim 5, having means whereby the control from the 360 shutters preponderates until approximate synchronism is reached, whereupon the other shutters assume control.

'7. In a differential fluid ilow positional control system, a movable primary element and a remotely located secondary element, a uid motor for moving said secondary element, and control means for said motor, said control means comprising a frictionless controller responsive to movement of said primary element adapted to produce uid ilow tending to cause said motor to operate in but one direction, and a second frictionless controller responsive to movement of said secondary element and adapted to produce an opposing iuid flow tending to cause said motor to operate in the reverse direction, the opposing uid iiow together operating said motor.

8. A pneumatically operated self-synchronous repeating system, including a sending instrument having relatively rotatable ported and shutter members, the shutter and port being so designed that the amount of the port area covered by the shutter uniformly varies with the relative angular position of said port and shutter substantially throughout a complete revolution, a receiving instrument having similar ported and shutter members, a common means for causing air iiow through both ports, including a pipe to each instrument, a motor for turning one of the members of said receiver, and means responsive to variations in the relative pressure in said pipes for actuating said motor to restore synchronism between the sending and receiving instruments.

' secondary element, and control means for` said motive means, said control means comprising a frictionless controller responsive to movement of said primary element adapted to produce an air iet tending to cause said motive means'to operate in but one direction", anda second 'frictionless controller responsive to movement of said secondary element and adapted to produce an opposing air jet tending to cause said motive means to operate in the reverse direction. saidair jets tgether operating said. motive means.

l0. In a positional control system, a movable primary element and a remotely located secondary element, motive means for moving said slecondary element, and control means for said motive means, said control means comprising coarse and fine controllers responsive to movement of said primary element adapted to produce -mo tivating forces tending to cause said motive means to operate in but one direction, coarse and tine' controllers responsive to movement of said secondary element and adapted to produce opposing motivating forces tending to cause said motive means to operate in the reverse direction,

said motivating forces together operating said motive means, and means whereby the forces controlled from the coarse controllers predominate until near synchronism lsfreached between the primary and secondary elements.

1l. A'pn'eumatically operated repeating system comprising a plurality of chambers each continuously subjected to a predetermined suction to produce a reduced air pressure therewithin, a ported cover member for each chamber through the ports of which air can pass thereto, one of said cover members having a plurality of circumferentlally spaced ports and another of said members having a single port. and shutters cooperating respectively with said members, one having an edge spirally shaped over 360 to cooperate with the single port, and another having a notch extending over an arc of less than 360 and having a spirally shaped edge to cooperate with one of the circumferentially spaced ports at a time.

ed to produce air flow tending to cause said motor to operate in one direction, coarse and ine controllers responsive to movement of said secondary element adapted to produce air iiow tending to cause said motor to operate in the reverse direction, and means operated by a predetermined air pressure due to either of said coarse controllers for cutting 'o the air flow from said ne controllers to said motor.

THEODORE KENYON. 

